Locking device for containers



Dec. 19, 1967 R. s. WALLER LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 31. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l JW"? a IN VENTOR RUSSELL S. WALLER ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1967 R. s. WALLER LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 51, 1964 FIG. 7

IN VENTOR RUSSELL 3. WALLER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,359,051 LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS Russell S. Waller, 2302 Jameson St, Hillcrest Heights, Md. 20031 Filed Aug. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 393,454 6 Claims. (Cl. 312-218) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon.

This invention relates to a device for locking sliding units in a container, such as drawers in safes, filing cabinets and the like.

Present locking devices which include internal locking bars and external control means therefor do not afford the necessary security for keeping sliding units locked within their container, particularly drawers in a filing cabinet. The present devices can be surreptitiously rendered useless and the contents of a filing cabinet rifled without appreciable diflicu-lty. For example, control means commonly used reciprocate in an angular direction through an opening in the container large enough to compensate for this angular movement. Consequently, elongated objects can extend through the enlarged opening to render the internal look ing bar useless. Equally important is that with the present locking devices such entry can be made quietly and quickly without detection.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a new and improved device for locking sliding units in their containers such as drawers in safes, file cabinets and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a locking device which obviates the need for an enlarged opening in the container. 1

Still another object of this invention is to make forced entry so difficult that the accompanying noises make detection easy.

A further object of this invention is to be able to determine at a glance whether or not sliding units or drawers have been properly locked.

Other and additional objects will become apparent hereinafter.

According to the present invention a device is provided for locking sliding units within their containers, and particularly drawers in a filing cabinet which are adapted to extend from the cabinet, comprising control means reciprocal in the horizontal direction within the cabinet and which are operated from without the cabinet, and a locking bar reciprocally operable in the vertical direction within the cabinet. The locking bar and drawers are provided with cooperating means for selective engagement or disengagement depending on the vertical movement of the looking bar with the further provision that for engagement the cabinet drawers must be closed. Rotatable cam means within the cabinet and connected to the control means and the locking bar change the horizontal movement of the control means to the vertical movement of the locking bar without distorting the horizontalmovement of the control means. This is accomplished by pivotally connecting the control means and locking bar to the cam means, and by rotating the cam means about a changing pivot that compensates for the vertical movement of the locking bar, which would otherwise cause the control means to move in an angular direction. The control means is operable from without the cabinet in one horizontal direction to cause the interconnecting cam means to move the locking bar in one vertical direction, whereupon the cooperating means on the drawers and the locking bar engage to secure the closed drawers against movement. Correspondingly, the control means is operable from without the cabinet in the opposite horizontal direction to cause the interconnecting cam means to move the locking bar in an opposite vertical direction, whereupon such cooperating means disengage to permit opening of the drawers. The locking device of the present invention is also provided with means adapted to lock the control means against movement when it has moved in said one horizontal direction.

In the preferred embodiment the locking device is dead bolted, and the control means is connected to a pair of opposing internal locking bars by a pair of the cam means just described.

The nature of the present invention and the manner in which this invention can be practiced will become clear from the detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, except as otherwise indicated.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the filing cabinet, with the drawer removed, and partially broken away to show the locking device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front sectional view of the top drawer portion of the file cabinet taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1, and showing the face of the top drawer;

FIGURE 3 is a side sectional view of the top drawer portion of the file cabinet taken along lines 33 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed View of the interconnecting cam means;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed side sectional view showing the control means of the locking device in the position which permits opening of the drawers;

FIGURE 6 is a detailed side sectional view showing the control means of the locking device in the locking position; and

FIGURE 7 is a detailed perspective view showing that portion of the cooperative means of the locking device which is mounted on a filing cabinet drawer.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, a cabinet 10 having a plurality of drawers 12 (only top one shown) is provided with the preferred embodiment of the locking device 14 of the present invention. The locking device 14 is dead bolted and includes a pair of opposing internal locking bars 16, reciprocal in the vertical direction; each locking bar 16 having a plurality of lugs 18 that cooperate with keepers 20 on each drawer 12 for locking and unlocking the drawers 12. Vertical movement of the internal locking bars 16 is controlled by means 22 reciprocable in the horizontal direction. The horizontal reciprocal movement of the control means 22 is changed to the vertical movement of the internal locking bars 16 by a pair of cam mechanisms 24 rotatably connected therebetween.

For locking the cabinet 10, the control means 22 is moved in the outward horizontal direction which through the cam mechanisms 24, in turn, moves the locking bars 16 in the upward vertical direction causing engagement between the lugs 18 and their keepers 20. Correspondingly, to unlock the cabinet 10 the control means 22 is moved in the inward horizontal direction which again through the cam mechanisms 24, in turn, moves the locking bars 16 in the vertical direction; but this time in the downward direction, causing disengagement between the lugs 18 and the keepers 20.

The cabinet 10 includes side walls 26, a back wall 28, top panel 30 and bottom panel (not shown). About the front of the cabinet 10 are inwardly extending flanges 32 integral with the walls and panels of the cabinet 10. Partitions 33 (only one shown) are placed within the cabinet 10 to divide each drawer section into separate compartments so that forced entry into the cabinet 10, such as by going through one of the said walls 26, will result in access to only one of the drawers 12 within the cabinet 10.

Each drawer 12 is slidably mounted in the cabinet in a conventional manner by cooperating tracks and guideways 34 mounted in the cabinet 10 and on each drawer 12 to facilitate and effectuate the sliding movement of each drawer 12 in and out of the cabinet 10, as well as, to limit the outward movement thereof (see FIG. 3).

The cabinet 10 is also provided with the pair of locking bars 16 so that a failure of one of the locking bars to perform its function will not necessarily affect the performance of the other locking bar. As the pair of locking bars 16 are identical the following description, while directed to one of said locking bars, applies equally to the other.

The locking bar 16, as shown in FIGURES l-3, is placed in the space between the side ,wall 26 and the drawer 12, extending through a hole provided therefor in each partition 34. The locking bar 16 essentially extends the height of the cabinet 10 and is capable of limited controlled reciprocal vertical movement therein. Aflixed to the inside surface 36 of the locking bar 16, such as by welding, is a ]-shaped locking bar lug 18 for each drawer 12. The short leg of each J-shaped lug 18 is positioned upright and spaced from the bar 16. Adjacent the locking bar 16 and aflixed to the side of each drawer 12 are the legs of a U-shaped keepers 20 forming a rectangular opening through which the short leg of the adjacent lug 38 is adapted to extend (see FIG. 7). The upright J- shaped lugs 18 engage the U-shaped keepers 20 to lock the drawers 12 against movement only after the drawers 12 are closed and the locking bar 16 has been moved vertically upward.

The control means 22 is positioned at the top of the cabinet 10 and reciprocates in the horizontal direction within the cabinet space defined by the cabinet top panel 30 and the adjacent drawer 12. A handle 42 for manually operating the control means 22 is positioned outside the cabinet 10 adjacent the top segment 44 of the cabinet flange 32.

Extending from the rear of the handle 42 into the cabinet 10 through an opening 45 in the flange segment 44 is a cylindrical rod 46, guided and supported by transverse members 48 and 50 within the cabinet 10.

The member 48 is L-shaped, extends across the rear portion of the cabinet 10, and is aflixed to the top panel 30 and side walls 26. The depending leg 52 of the member 48 has a bore 54 through which the rod 46 slidably extends (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

The member 50 is rectangularly shaped, also extends across the cabinet 10 and abuts the inner surface of the flange segment 44. The rod 46 slidably extends through a bore 56 in the member 50.

The horizontal movement of the control means 22 is limited inwardly by the handle 42 abutting against the flange segment 44, and outwardly by a transverse plate 58, presently described. The plate 58 extends across the cabinet 10 within the space between the top panel 30 and drawer 12. Irrespective of its horizontal movement it always lies over the cam mechanisms 18 to inhibit their destruction when the cabinet 10 is surreptitiously entered into through its top panel 30. Depending from the plate 58 is a member 60 through which the rod 46 extends and to which the rod 46 is welded. The handle 42 is movable in the horizontal direction away from the cabinet 10 until the horizontal plate 58 abuts the member 50, as shown in FIGURE 6. The distance the handle 42 is permitted to move in either horizontal direction is proportional to the vertical distance necessary for the locking bars 16 to effectuate engagement or disengagement between the lugs 18 and keepers 20.

Each drawer 12 is locked against movement when the locking bars 16 are moved upwardly in response to the outward horizontal movement of the handle 42. To prevent further movement of the handle 42, a vertically positioned tongue 62, affixed at its back end to the depend- 4 ing member 60, extends through a vertical slot 64 in the flange segment 44. The tongue 62 has a bore 66 placed through its outermost portion to receive a conventional shackled padlock 68. To prevent rattling of the handle 42 when it is in its outward locking position, the rearward peripheral portion of the tongue 62 defining the bore 66 is essentially tangential to the cabinet flange segment 44. Accordingly, when the shackle of the padlock 68 is placed through the bore 66 and locked, further movement of the handle 42 is prevented.

Connected between each locking bar 16 and the control means 22 is one of the cam mechanisms 24. Inasmuch as the pair of mechanisms 24 are identical the following description is generally limited to one of them, but of course, applies equally to both.

Each cam mechanism 18 includes a triangular shaped cam 70 as shown in FIGURE 4. Adjacent the acute angles of each triangularly shaped cam 70 are tapered bores 74 and 76. Adjacent the apex of each cam 70 and extending toward the hypotenuse of such cam 70 is a slot 78.

The control means 22, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, is connected to the cams 70 by plates depending from each end of the plate 58, parallel to the side walls 20 and abutting the transverse member 60. Each plate has a bore 82 therethrough (see FIG. 2). Seated in the tapered bore 74 of the cam 70 is a pin 84 which has its reduced portion extending therefrom through the bore 82 of the plate 80 as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. To maintain the connection between the plate 80 and cam 70 the reduced outer portion of the pin 84 has an annular groove 86 in which is seated an arch shaped retaining ring 88. Washers, such as washer 90, can be placed between contacting surfaces and between the retaining ring 88 and plate 80 to limit wear and excess wobble of the connecting parts.

Each locking bar 16 is connected to a cam 70 by having a bore 92 in its upper portion and by having a pin 94 seated in the tapered bore 76 as hereinbefore described, only this time by extending through the bores 76 and 92.

The reduced portion of the pin 94 also has an outer an- 1 nular groove 86, for an are shaped ring 88; and washers are used for the same purpose as described in the connection between the control means 22 and cam 70.

The horizontal reciprocating motion of the control assembly 22 is changed to vertical reciprocating movement of the locking bar 16 by having a mounting plate 95 atfixed to the cabinet side walls 26 intermediate the rod guide members 48 and 50. The mounting plate 95 has a tapered bore 96 therethrough for a pin 98 similar to those already described. The pin 98 is seated in the bore 96 and extends through the mounting plate bore 96 and through the slot 78 in the cam 70 (see FIG. 2). As before the outer reduced portion of the pin 98 has an annular groove 86 for an are shaped ring 88 and washers 90 are used as described in the connections between the control means 22, locking bars 16 and cams 70.

The length of the cam slot 78 is greater than the diameter of the reduced portion of the pin that extends therethrough by a distance sufiicient to permit horizontal and vertical reciprocal movement of the control means 22 and locking bar 16, respectively. In operation, when the control means 22 is moved horizontally and the earns 70 rotate to change the horizontal movement of the control means 22 to the vertical movement of the locking bars 16, the walls of the cam slots 78 ride up and down on the pins 98. Thus, the cams 70 rotate about a changing pivot. By permitting only horizontal movement of the rod 46, the clearance between the rod 46 and the opening 45 in the cabinet flange segment 44 is kept to a minimum.

Without this changing pivot the rotation of the cams 70 would cause the rod 46 to move upwardly as well as horizontally. To compensate for this upward movement of a rod or the like, the opening in the cabinet flange 44 would have to have suflicient clearance so as not to bind the angular movement of the rod. With this additional clearance an opening for surreptitious entrance into the cabinet is provided.

In the open position of the locking device 14, the handle 42 abuts the cabinet 10, and the changing pivot of each cam 70 is located at the apex end of the slot 78. As the handle is moved away from the cabinet 10, each cam 70 rotates, with their changing pivots, pin 98, moving toward the hypotenuse end of each slot 78. As this occurs the distance between the pivot points, pins 94 and 84, of each locking bar 16 and the control means 22, respectively, and the changing pivot, pin 98, of each cam 70 becomes less; the minimum distance therebetween being when the pins 98 is at the hypotenuse end of the slot 78 (see FIGS. 3 and 6). Correspondingly, in locking the drawers 12 within the cabinet 10, the handle 42 is moved away from the cabinet 10. As this occurs, each cam 70 rotates, with its changing pivot, pin 98, moving toward the apex of each triangular cam 70, whereby the distance between the pivot points, pins 94 and 84, of each locking bar 16 and control means 22, respectively, and the changing pivot, pin 18, of each cam 70 becomes greater, the maximum distance therebetween when the pin 98 is at the apex end of the slot 78 (see FIGS. 3 and 6). Irrespective of the rotation of each cam 70, the distance between the pivot of the control means 22, pin 84, and each locking bar 16, pin 94, remains constant.

In operation, the rotation of the cams 70 is in the same plane as the vertical movement of the locking bars 16. The control means 22, on the other hand, moves in a horizontal plane, perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the cams 70 and vertical movement of the locking bars 16.

The locking device 14 operates as will now be described. The cabinet 10 and its drawers 12 are locked in a closed position by first, of course, closing the drawers 12. The handle 42 is then moved outwardly from the cabinet 10 until the horizontal plate 58 abuts the member 48. The outward movement of the handle 42 causes the cams 70 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction about constantly changing pivots; the walls of the cam slots 78 sliding upwardly on the pins 98, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6. Simultaneously, with the outward horizontal movement of the control means rod 46, the locking bars 16 are moved vertically upward by the cams 70. As the locking bars 16 are moved upwardly their lugs 18 engage the keepers 20 on the drawers 12 to lock the drawers 12 against further movement. Full engagement of the lugs 18 and keepers 28 is achieved as the handle 42 reaches its outwardly extended position. Concurrently, the tongue 62 extends through the slot 64 and the padlock 68 can be placed through tongue bore 66 to prevent further movement of the handle 42.

In the locked position, the plate 58 lies over the cam mechanisms 18. Moreover, in a row of cabinets as described, the handle 42 of each cabinet 10 must be away from the cabinet 10 so that at a glance one can tell if all the cabinets 10 have been locked.

When it is desired to open the drawers 12, the padlock 68 is removed, and the handle 42 is moved inwardly until the handle 42 abuts the flange segment 44. At the same time the inwardly moving rod 46 causes the cams 70 to rotate in a clockwise direction about constantly changing pivots; the walls of the cam slots 78 sliding downwardly on the pins 98 (see FIGS. 6 and 3). Simultaneously, the locking bars 16 are moved vertically downward by the cams 70, which in turn, causes the lugs 18 to become disengaged from the keepers 20. Full disengagement of the lugs 18 from the keepers 20 occurs as the handle 42 abuts the flange segment 44. Disengagement having been achieved the drawers 12 may be opened.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the described device without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A locking device for a container having a sliding unit adapted to extend from the container in the open position and to be within the container in the closed position, comprising control means reciprocal in the horizontal position which are operable from without the container and extend thereinto, a locking bar within the container reciprocally operable in the vertical direction by said control means for locking and unlocking the sliding unit, said unit and locking bar having cooperating means for engagement to prevent further movement of the sliding unit only when the unit is in its closed position and the locking bar is moved in one vertical direction, cam means connected to the internal locking bar and control means for translating the horizontal movement of the control means to the vertical movement of said locking bar, said cam means rotatable about a changing pivot to maintain the horizontal movement of the control means, said control means moveable in one horizontal direction to cause the rotatable cam means to move said locking bar in one vertical direction to effectuate engagement of the cooperating means on the locking bar and sliding unit for locking the sliding unit, and said control means moveable in a second horizontal direction to move said locking bar in the oppositevertical direction to effectuate disengagement between said cooperating means for unlocking the sliding unit.

2. In a filing cabinet provided with at least one slidable drawer, a locking device for permitting the drawer to be secured against further movement in its closed position comprising a pair of opposing vertically reciprocative locking bars disposed between the side walls of the drawer and cabinet, cooperating means on each of said bars and the drawer adapted to prevent further movement of the drawer when the bars are moved upwardly and the drawer is in the closed position, horizontally reciprocative control means operable from without the cabinet and extending thereinto for moving said locking bars, and cam mechanisms for translating the horizontal movement of the control means to the vertical movement of said locking bars; each of said cam mechanisms including a rotatable cam for each locking bar and wherein each cam has a slot, fixed means extending through each of said cam slots which slide thereover as the cams rotate so that said cams rotate about a continually changing pivot, fixed pivot means connecting each of the locking bars to one of the cams, and fixed pivot means connecting the control means to both of the cams, the control means moveable in an outward direction from the cabinet causing the cams to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction about their changing pivots which in turn moves the locking bars in an upward direction causing the cooperating means to prevent further movement of the closed drawer, and said control means movable in an inward direction toward the cabinet causing the cams to rotate in a clockwise direction about their changing pivots which in turn moves the locking bars in a downward direction causing the cooperating means to permit the opening of the drawer.

3. In the locking device recited in claim 2 wherein the distance between the fixed pivot of each locking bar and the control means remains constant as each cam rotates in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, with the distance between the changing pivot about which each cam rotates and said fixed pivots becoming less as said cam rotates in a counter-clockwise direction and greater as said cam rotates in a clockwise direction.

4. In the locking device recited in claim 2 wherein the control means includes a cylindrical rod extending into the cabinet horizontally reciprocative in opposite directions, a handle mounted on said rod externally of the cabinet, the inward movement of the reciprocative con trol means being limited by the handle abutting the outer surface of the front of the cabinet, and -a member within the cabinet fixed to the cylindrical rod, said member including a plate spaced from the inner surface of the cabinet when the handle abuts said cabinet, the outward movement of the control means being limited by the plate abutting the, inner surface of the front of the cabinet.

5. In the locking device recited in claim 4, wherein the plate lies over the cam mechanism when the locking device locks the drawer against further movement to inhibit surreptitious entry into the cabinet.

6. In a filing cabinet provided with at least one slidable drawer, and a locking device having control means reciprocal in the horizontal direction that are operable from without the cabinet and extend thereinto and a locking bar within the cabinet reciprocally operable in the vertical direction by said control means for locking and unlocking the drawer, and wherein said drawer and locking bar have cooperating means adapted to engage only when the drawer is closed andthe locking bar is moved in an upward vertical direction to prevent further movement of the drawer; cam means for translating the horizontal movement of the control means to the vertical movement of the locking bar comprising a cam having a slot therethrough, fixed means extending through the slot which slides thereover as the carry rotates so that said cam rotates about a continually changing pivot, fixed pivot means connecting the locking bar to the cam, and fixed pivot means connecting the control means to the cam,

the control means being moveable in an outward direction from the cabinet to cause the cam to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction about its changing pivot and which in turn moves the'locking bar in an upward direction whereby the cooperating means engage to prevent further movement of the closed drawer, said control means moveable in an inward direction toward the cabinet to cause the cam to rotate in a clockwise direction about its changing pivot and which in turn moves the locking bar in a downward direction whereby the cooperating means disengage to permit the opening of the drawer.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1929 France.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner. CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LOCKING DEVICE FOR A CONTAINER HAVING A SLIDING UNIT ADAPTED TO EXTEND FROM THE CONTAINER IN THE OPEN POSITION AND TO BE WITHIN THE CONTAINER IN THE CLOSED POSITION, COMPRISING CONTROL MEANS RECIPROCAL IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION WHICH ARE OPERABLE FROM WITHOUT THE CONTAINER AND EXTEND THEREINTO, A LOCKING BAR WITHIN THE CONTAINER RECIPROCALLY OPERABLE IN THE VERTICAL DIRECTION BY SAID CONTROL MEANS FOR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE SLIDING UNIT, SAID UNIT AND LOCKING BAR HAVING COOPERATING MEANS FOR ENGAGEMENT TO PREVENT FURTHER MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDING UNIT ONLY WHEN THE UNIT IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION AND THE LOCKING BAR IS MOVED IN ONE VERTICAL DIRECTION, CAM MEANS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNAL LOCKING BAR AND CONTROL MEANS FOR TRANSLATING THE HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF THE CONTROL MEANS TO THE VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING BAR, SAID CAM MEANS ROTATABLE ABOUT A CHANGING PIVOT TO MAINTAIN THE HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF THE CONTROL MEANS, SAID CONTROL MEANS MOVEABLE IN ONE HORIZONTAL DIRECTION TO CAUSE THE ROTATABLE CAM MEANS TO MOVE SAID LOCKING BAR IN ONE VERTICAL DIRECTION TO EFFECTUATE ENGAGEMENT OF THE COOPERATING MEANS ON THE LOCKING BAR AND SLIDING UNIT FOR LOCKING THE SLIDING UNIT, AND SAID CONTROL MEANS MOVABLE IN A SECOND HORIZONTAL DIRECTION TO MOVE SAID LOCKING BAR IN THE OPPOSITE VERTICAL DIRECTION TO EFFECTUATE DISENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID COOPERATING MEANS FOR UNLOCKING THE SLIDING UNIT. 